The Canal du Midi, its Source, canal de Jonction & canal de la Robine
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The Canal du Midi from Sete to Toulouse, has been listed a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996.
This highest point (the threshold of Naurouze) is exceptional especially for its impressive water supply system, conceived by Pierre-Paul Riquet in the 17th century. Riquet, the richest man in the Languedoc, was a salt tax collector and not an architect or engineer, proof of his technical prowess.
The Canal du Midi is 240 km long and comprises 63 locks, 7 canal bridges and one tunnel. We should alo mention the 80 kms of water supply streams from the Black Mountains as well as the impressive St-Ferreol dam. The canal’s construction, commenced in 1667 and took 14 years to complet as the projetc was pharaonic and encountered technical and financial difficulties.
